It is with great sadness to write that Professor Emeritus Paul Roberts passed away on November 17th. 

He joined the UCLA Mathematics department in 1986 as a joint appointment with the Geophysical Sciences Department after receiving his PhD from Cambridge University in 1954. He joined UCLA as a Chair in the Math Department and a Research Chair in the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics (IGPP). He led an illustrious career in mathematics, geophysics, and related sciences. 

He was honored with the Fleming Medal by The American Geophysical Union in 1999. He has also been named a fellow of the Royal Society of London in 1979, the American Geophysical Union in 1989, and the Royal Astronomical Society in 1954, and a Fulbright Scholar. He was also elected to the Academy of Arts and Sciences.

“Some of us, who had been Prof. Paul Roberts’ PhD students, met and we talked about the profound effect Paul had on our lives and the love and respect we carry for him,” Dr. Michael Shearer wrote to his wife, Mary Roberts.

Roberts enjoyed working on his research until the end and cherished many happy memories of his research and his collaborations with colleagues around the world.

Roberts is survived by his wife Mary.

Please view his Royal Society profile here.

Read his AGU interview after winning the 1999 John Adam Fleming Medal Winner here.